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Winter wheat conditions in Kentucky improve following recent rains

October was very dry for Kentucky farmers and the recent rains were welcomed.

Caleb Ragland, who farms in central Kentucky, says it will be good for his winter wheat. “We needed a little moisture,” he says.  “We recently got the wheat up.  It was probably as dry as I’ve ever experienced in my farming career in October because we had less than half an inch of measurable rainfall.”

Eighty-three percent of the winter wheat crop in Kentucky has been planted, 67 percent has emerged, and 77 percent is rated good to excellent.

Soybeans are 86 percent harvested.

Tobacco is 64 percent stripped.

The rainfall and warm temperatures have helped rejuvenate pastures and will help to ease some winter hay stock concerns as supplies could get tight in the winter months.